The present invention relates to a poker game with additional draw card options.
Gaming device manufacturers strive to make gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment and excitement as possible. Video poker machines used for gaming are well known in the art. Most conventional video poker gaming machines used in casinos implement conventional rules for poker by dealing five initial cards face up from a standard deck of fifty-two cards and allowing the player to hold any number of the dealt cards. The player can press a draw button which causes the non-held or discarded cards to be randomly replaced with new cards from the deck. The player is provided an award for a winning hand, if any, according to a payout table.
In a conventional video poker game, when a player is dealt three cards or four cards to a winning hand, such as a Royal Flush, the odds are against the player completing the hand and hitting the winning hand. For example, the odds of being dealt a Royal Flush in a five card hand is 1 in 650,000. In a typical single-hand video poker game, the player only gets one chance or draw, resulting in a very high chance of failure and frequent disappointment for the player.
Another known poker game is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,022. That patent describes one expanded type draw poker game, wherein the player makes a first wager and receives five cards. The player may then discard up to five cards and receive draw cards to form a second hand. The second hand is compared to a posted, fixed, paytable to determine if the player has lost the first wager, or if the player has won according the paytable.
If after the draw the second hand achieves a ranking of a straight or higher, the game provides the player an option. The option enables the player to place a second wager and draw a sixth card to form a third hand. The third hand consists of the five cards in the second hand plus the sixth card. To win after exercising the option and placing the second wager, the player has to achieve a ranking that is higher than the requirement for the first wager.
The above-described game increases the opportunities for players to win awards associated with poker versus standard draw poker. The game tends to increase fun and excitement associated with gaming, which is desirable. It is also desirable to make games relatively simple and easy to follow, which can be a shortcoming of games that add opportunity but also add complexity. A continuing need therefore exists to provide new, fun and entertaining extended type poker games, which are relatively easy to play and follow.